Strikes over pension reforms means no French papers in newsstands!

FRENCH PRESS REVIEW, Wednesday, 8th September 2010: Despite the strike action affecting newspaper availability, we nonetheless bring you the front pages of the French papers we had access to this morning. They all cover the massive turn out yesterday in cities across france to protest against plans to raise the retirement age in France from 60 to 62. Elsewhere we look at Mireille Mathieu’s fame in Russia and relieve after a French football victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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Articles in today’s French press review:

The right-leaning Le Figaro points out that yesterday’s strike action, while significant, is nowhere as serious as the turn out in 2003 for mass strikes which saw 57% of public sector workers participating.

Libération takes quite a different stance, saying that the high participation in the strike means the Government will more than likely have to make concessions in negotiations with trade unions.

The business papers La Tribune and les Echos also lead with yesterday’s strikes, while the satirical weekly, Le Canard Enchaîné focuses on the Labour Minister’s woes. Eric Woerth is the man charged with pushing through this reform yet he is barely holding onto his job following a series of controversies.

Le Figaro reports on the iconic French singer Mireille Mathieu being honoured in Russia with a position on one of its highest policing authorities, to the bewilderment of many.